


Covert Operations

by thefallfiles



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Dark Comedy, Detectives, Drama & Romance, F/F, Lawyers, Minor Violence, Organized Crime, Romance, Romantic Comedy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-03-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:34:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22335646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thefallfiles/pseuds/thefallfiles
Summary: Emma is a homicide detective and has to work with Regina who is a hard-ass lawyer.Regina is determined to win this particular case for personal reasons but after Emma witnesses Regina doing something dubious, her trust in the woman begins to waver.What is Regina keeping from Emma?Will they be able to work together to bring down the people responsible or is the blonde being played?
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan
Comments: 6
Kudos: 39





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Cover image: https://drive.google.com/open?id=17nqzM8qo3ys2KeCfrvF0dltNZ1kBU6yu
> 
> For Alex;  
> Thank you for your generous donation to The Port Macquarie Koala Hospital for the Australian Bushfires! Here is your fic, I hope you enjoy. xx
> 
> It's 3am, all spelling errors are my own.

It had been one of the hottest days of the year and Regina Mills hated the heat. She hated what it did to her hair, her skin and what it did to her temper. She much rather enjoyed the cold. At least it was honest, it didn't sneak up on you. 

The coldest setting had been set on the air-con and the chilled air barely seemed to affect the brunette. She sat behind her pristine desk, papers spread across the white marble in a system of well-practised piles.

A knock before the door swung open.

"This is Detective Emma Swan, she will be helping you prepare for the Kathryn Nolan case."

Regina didn't even look up from the file she had clasped in her hands, blood red nails threatening to tear open the pages from the sudden pressure applied to it's fragile skin.

"I don't recall asking for help."

The redhead cocked her head to the side as though she were actually considering what Regina was saying but they both knew better.

"Funny, I don't recall asking for your opinion, sis." The woman shoved the blonde further inside the room and into the chair opposite Regina.

"Hey! I'm a Detective, you know." The blonde mumbled, confused by the other woman's lack of regard for her own behaviour.

The redhead just rolled her eyes and stood behind Emma with her hands on the back of the white leather chair.

Dark brown threatened to swath green with their penetrating gaze as Regina finally looked up from the pages now crinkling from the hawk-like clutch she held on them and into Emma's eyes.

Beneath that anger, Emma saw a flicker of _something else_ behind the dark, stormy seas of her irises.

"I work alone, Zelena." She hissed, now completely ignoring the blonde in front of her.

"Come on, 'Gina. You're a bit rusty and we both know you will never admit that. So - just accept the help or feel free to go above me and try and challenge this because it's an order from above."

Zelena's smile widened to an almost painful grin at the end of her sentence, pointed teeth shining in victory.

"I'll see you this afternoon at the meeting." A sharp snap signalled Regina's office door had been shut behind swaying hips.

A nervous chuckle fell between rose petal lips, "She's a force to be reckoned with."

Regina turned a pointed glare at Emma but the blonde's attention was drawn to the angry scar above her right lip, the older woman's mouth slightly parted in an angry snarl.

"You have _no idea_ what I am capable of." Regina said, placing the papers down in the middle of the desk.

She pressed her reception to office call button that was on the right side of her desk and it sounded a silent buzz to whoever was in reception at that moment. "Can you send her through, thank you." It wasn't a question.

Emma rolled her eyes, folding her arms across her chest.

"Does anyone care that I'm a homicide detective and that you aren't allowed to threaten or cause me any bodily harm?"

A chuckle sounded from beside Emma and if it weren't for her sound police skills, she was sure she would of jumped out of her skin. Though, from the wry twitch of Regina's lips, she could tell.

"You do know you're at Hades & Mills law firm, right?" A voice sounded from beside her, the door chose this opportune moment to click shut.

The young brunette woman moved from her place beside Emma and after the older woman motioned with her hands towards the desk, she settled her briefcase on the table in front of her.

"Everything you asked for."

Dark eyes lit up and Regina sat up straighter, long fingers shaking slightly as she reached out for the claps on the briefcase.

"Thank you, Lydia. You'll be generously compensated for your hard work."

Emma stood up, her curiosity piqued and crossed her arms as she surveyed the scene in front of her.

"Is this for the case?" The blonde asked.

How could she not? Everything about their exchange was suspicious.

How far down this rabbit hole did she want to go, though? 

Both women ignored the Detective's question.

Lydia moved from her place beside Regina, her mud-stained black boots squeaking on the hardwood floors before she stopped in front of the Detective, her eyes sparkling in mischief.

"Lydia Peters." She held her hand out with a wink and quirked an eyebrow, waiting to gauge the other woman's reaction.

Emma forced herself not to react, she unfolded her arms before holding out her hand and shaking the other woman's hand firmly.

"Emma Swan. Homicide Detective."

Regina continued to peruse the documents that were inside the briefcase, only looking up when Lydia took her leave a few minutes later.

"Bye, Your Majesty." The young brunette called over her shoulder.

Regina rolled her eyes before closing the briefcase and clicking it shut and sliding it underneath her desk.

"Take care, Lydia." She called after her, shaking her head.

As soon as the door shut behind the lithe woman's figure, Emma marched as close to Regina as she could with the white marble barrier between them.

"Are you out of your mind?!" It was taking everything inside of Emma not to raise her voice any higher than above a loud whisper.

The older woman raised an eyebrow, Emma's little outburst seemed to barely perturb her. The darker haired woman looked at her for a moment longer before she began observing her nails as though she were bored of this conversation already.

"Of all the people to bring in. You have _Lilith Page_ as a witness? Do you have a death wish?" Emma shook her head, her mind spinning.

The small smirk toying at the corner of Regina's mouth was really starting to piss Emma off. Mostly because every time she saw it she felt white hot flames start to lick from the backs of her ankles up, up and up until it crawled it's way between her overheated thighs whilst simultaneously flushes up the back of her neck, she was getting light headed already.

Fu _ck_.

Regina stood up whilst Emma had her hands face down on the desk on either side of her, using the little space she had between her desk and Emma. She stood in the space between the woman's arms and glared down at her pointedly.

"I have a backbone, Miss Swan," Regina started, and Emma scoffed at the woman's ignorance, "Besides aren't you supposed to be helping me win this case?" She raised a pointed brow.

Emma rolled her eyes for what felt like the thirtieth time in 20 minutes. "Yeah and getting you killed is going to look great on my record."

The younger woman shook her head, blonde locks tickling Regina's cheek and shoulder unintentionally and effectively intoxicating the older woman with the raspberry vanilla scent and freezing her in her tracks. 

The older woman was cursing herself for the unwanted but not unappreciated filthy thoughts that filtered through her mind like a video playback.

Emma mistook Regina's freeze for something she had said and turned to look the brunette in the eyes. Not even giving herself a moment to think, the blonde reached out and grasped the brunette's shoulder, squeezing it in reassurance.

"Nothing will happen to you."

Dark swirling orbs turned to look at Emma and the younger woman felt something in her chest twinge at the now simmering depths; honey filtering through the swath of darkness.

* * *

After an unsatisfying lunch and hours of going over witness reports and statements, Emma had left when she received an urgent call, promising to Regina that she'll keep her updated. Not mentioning the fact that she would be getting a greasy grilled cheese toasted sandwich on her way back, the lunch the company provided them didn't hit the spot for Emma at all.

Regina stood up from behind her desk and began pacing her office. The latest reports from _Lydia_ had given them more information but it still wasn't concrete evidence. 

The brunette checked the clock; 6:07 pm - it had been just under 2 hours and she hadn't heard back from Emma.

The meeting with Zelena had gone as well as could be expected, with Hades off making connections, the redhead quite often let the power go to her head. Not that the brunette loved her any less, but she wished her sister could just shut up and not make rash decisions for once in her life.

Her schedule was steadily getting overfilled and with the enormity of her current case in the media she really shouldn't be taking on more clients.

"Can't someone-else take The _Un_ Charmings? I have my hands full with the Kathryn Nolan case." Regina rolled her eyes, sliding the financial report back to Zelena.

A loud exhale sounded from the redhead, "Believe me, if I could I would. You weren't my first choice." 

Regina glared at her which caused Zelena to shrug and press her fingers together as she leaned on the table, continuing "Mary Margaret wants you." Regina raised an eyebrow.

She didn't know why... that woman infuriated Regina beyond belief and she didn't make that unknown.

"She likes your honesty and trusts your judgement. Just take the client, Regina."

Shovelling a groan inward, Regina stood up and straightened out her outfit, brushing out invisible lines from of her perfectly ironed pencil skirt before snatching the folder from Zelena.

"I'll think about it. But I make no promises." Regina snapped, irked.

As the brunette started to make her way to exit the room her sister called after her.

"You have the biggest heart, Regina!" She called after her, "You make Snow White look like The Wicked Witch of The West!"

Regina glared over her shoulder one last time before she pushed open the glass door and left, swaying her hips with purpose as she headed back towards her office.

She knew what she had to do. The question was...would it pay off?

Digging into the right drawer, Regina pulled out a small black box with sterling silver engraved horns on it that was hidden underneath a false shelf in her desk and unlocked it with the key she had tucked away between the back of her phone and her phone case.

Placing the box on the table the brunette fished what she had been looking for out of the box and placed it on the white marble.

The cellphone was well over ten years old, Regina hadn't touched it in years. She didn't even have a conclusive reason as to why she'd kept it all this time. Sentimental reasons, perhaps.

 _Nothing will happen to you_ , Emma's words began swirling through her mind in a distorted, haunting repeat.

Standing up Regina walked towards the other side of her office and the glass doors automatically opened to reveal her en-suite. Unbuttoning the wrist cuff she folded the sleeve up to her elbow, she took her time and grabbed a few make-up cloths to begin wiping at the make up along her right arm where her radius bone rested, focusing 2 inches up from her wrist as she scrubbed the coverage off, she knew there was a reason she'd never gotten it lasered off.

Slowly over the next few minutes the dark colours of her tattoo began to show and Regina felt a shiver run up her spine at the stark contrast of the dark shade of it against the white porcelain of her bathroom sink.

The brunette's heels clicked against the floor of her office as she swiftly made her way back towards her desk and grabbing the device taunting her that she'd retrieved from the small box and flipped it open.

Regina held out her arm and snapped a photo of the mark before sending the photo to the only number in the contacts.

Less than 5 minutes later a beep announced that a text had come through and Regina opened it to be greeted with an address.

The corners of her red painted lips started to quirk upwards until they stretched into an almost painful smile, the vein on her forehead began to throb as it announced it's arrival.

* * *

Emma hadn't meant to stalk Regina, she really hadn't. She had gotten some information from one of her C.I's about a possible lead for the case and wanted to let her know. That's what partners do, right? Share information and keep each other informed?

Yeah, well, Regina mustn't of received that memo.

It was nearing midnight and Emma was sitting in her car outside The Golden Dragon Casino with the engine running, one tight jean clad leg sticking outside the open car door as she started to scroll through her messages.

Her C.I had left about five minutes ago and the blonde had been giving herself a few minutes break before she called Regina to leave a voicemail. She knew as soon as she did that that woman would have her driving back down to her office to rehash every detail for the next hour. At least. The woman slept like the undead. Not that she didn't want to pursue this and put the responsible people behind bars but she needed her libido to take a break.

Whenever she was around the older women she felt like it went from 0 to 100 in less than four seconds and not that she didn't appreciate that she had a healthy sexual appetite but she didn't need the constant throbbing between her legs just from looking at Regina, talking about her or even thinking about her. A goddamned break was warranted.

Or at least that's what Emma thought.

Fate? Had a much better idea.

A sleek black car started to turn down into the entrance of the alleyway, the car lights illuminating the various cracks and ruins in the brick walls and Emma slid her leg back into the car and quickly shut the door and turned off the car before leaning back in her seat. Lucky she hadn't left her lights on.

From the angle she was sitting back in the blonde could just make out the car stopping at the back exit of The Golden Dragon and was close enough for Emma to take some up close mental notes.

A woman dressed in a long black leather belted trench coat stepped out of the car, white heels getting splattered with dirty rainwater as a fresh curtain of rain started to weep from heavy, tormented clouds above.

Despite the humidity and heat of the day earlier, it was now quite chilly but nowhere near cold enough to warrant a trench-coat. It was someone who either didn't want to be seen there or someone up to no good. With the reputation that The Golden Dragon has got Emma could understand the need for the cloak and dagger routine.

Emma's brow furrowed as she watched the woman turn around and take her handbag that was handed to her. 

The blonde froze.

Even from a distance she would know that quirk of lips anywhere and when the woman turned around and moved closer to the entryway, the sensual swagger to her hips captivating Emma's gaze once again today, it confirmed what she already knew.

 _"Regina..."_ Emma breathed out, her stormy green eyes wide.

The brunette knocked on the back door and a tall man with scruffy facial hair and extremely defined arms opened the door and walked outside.

Regina was motioning to inside the casino and talking animatedly with her hands, getting increasingly more and more frustrated as he stared at her. She sighed as he shook his head for the third time and went to walk back inside when the brunette grabbed his upper arm and Emma nearly launched herself out of the car when he shook her off and started to advance on her.

She stopped cold in her tracks at Regina's next move. The brunette had held her hand up and whether he was surprised by her actions or genuinely curious as to what she was going to say or do, he stopped and crossed his arms, veins bulging menacingly.

Sliding up the right sleeve of her coat, Regina felt her face start to flush as he reached out and took hold of her hand so that he could observe the tattoo marring the golden skin of her lower wrist. He traced a finger along it and she shivered, nauseated by his touch, by this place.

But this wasn't about her or about how _she_ felt. This was about Kathryn. And the truth deserved to be brought to light. No matter how ugly, how insidious, how wretched the truth might be. No matter who got brought down or got stepped on.

Emma's mouth gaped open when the man held Regina's arm out, the filtered orange glow from the streetlights above illuminated the mark of The Queens of Darkness on the lawyers wrist.

Emma was rattled. She didn't know who she could trust. She could bust Regina here and now but that wouldn't get anything accomplished. She would be down an ally and their whole plan would go down the toilet.

The man released the brunette's arm and she glared at him before shrugging her coat back on and strutting inside before he could get another word out, he now followed her like an ever-obedient puppy.

Emma shook her head, the plan was already down the toilet if Regina wasn't on the same team as her. That would make Regina...the enemy. But, the blonde didn't know if she was ready to believe that. Regina truly seemed to care about this case, and yeah, maybe she wasn't the nicest human being in the world but Emma had a hard time believing Regina would manipulate and put on an act to this extent.

Or would she?

Emma banged her head against the back of the driver's seat and closed her eyes counting to ten.

Fuck it.

Emma grabbed her red leather jacket from the passenger seat after the black car started up again, she waited for it to speed out of the alleyway before she started making her way out of the car and towards The Golden Dragon.

She wanted answers and she wanted them now and there was only one woman that would be able to give them to her.

_Regina._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's nearly 5am, all spelling errors are my own.

Regina walked through the back halls of The Golden Dragon, with each step she could feel a flush of cold creeping up along the ridges of her spine and the hunched muscles of her shoulders, threatening to wrap it's deadly hold around her throat.

She hadn't even given a second thought as to what would happen to her if she went down this path.

"To your right." The gruff voice behind her growled lowly, nearly caused Regina to uncharacteristically jump out of her skin.

She had almost forgotten he was walking behind her, _almost_. They had taken so many twists and turns down the dark halls that Regina knew if she were to get into trouble down here there was no way she would be able to find her way back out.

Turning right at the end of the hall and being greeted by the top of a vast staircase, the brunette's heels began clunking down the hardwood steps with every heavy footfall as she descended the winding staircase.

Regina's heart began to thud faster and faster down every step and her nerves were tingling under every inch of her skin, until ultimately she was standing outside a set of wooden double doors with gold horns emblazoned on the hardwood.

Emma knew better than to intervene, so she stuck to the shadows and kept her distance as Regina entered the double doors. With quick, quiet steps the blonde found a side door and snuck through until she came across a window in an office that looked into the room Regina had just walked into.

The first thing Regina's eyes were drawn to was the varnished and gilt-bronze with cut-glass drops chandelier in the centre of the room.

The room was long and oozed money.

A woman stood at the end of the room with her back facing the entryway, she wore a long grey overcoat with a fur collar. A sweaty, shaking man knelled in front of the blonde, his face pink and leaking as he pleaded with the stoic woman in front of him.

"You understood the terms of the agreement when you signed, Leroy." The deep timbre of her voice echoed around the spacious room.

"P-Please give me a week, I can have the money I owe by then, I swear."

The muzzle of the silencer pressed against his temple, the glock shining menacingly in the dim light of the room. With her other hand dark black pointed nails gripped his shoulder, threatening to pierce the fabric.

Emma's stomach twisted at the sight but she knew making a move now would not only be stupid but it would blow their - _her_ whole operation.

"With in...interest," Leroy swallowed harshly, "Please Madam! I won't let you down again."

The blonde pressed the nuzzle harder against his temple for a moment before she pulled away and he slumped forward on the floor in relief. She swivelled around, her electric blue eyes briefly landing on the brunette with a twist of her lips before moving towards a man standing a few feet away from the blonde that Regina hadn't even noticed before.

 _David?,_ She thought, confused.

"James." She held her hand out for the metal alloy bat to which he handed to her without question.

 _The brother,_ Regina breathed a sigh of relief but only for a moment, _they're identical._

Leroy quivered on the floor as her heels clicked against the wood announcing her presence behind him.

"This is your last warning. Next time I won't be so friendly." She hissed.

Regina cringed at the same time Leroy flinched from the impact of the bat, the wind whistling from the force. He yelled out, fingernails spread on the hardwood as the woman hit him once, twice, three times... Regina stopped counting as she closed her eyes and turned her head away. The blood rushing in her ears and her mind spinning, she could feel her stomach turning; her dinner threatening to make an appearance.

After all this time nothing had changed and she felt like a fool thinking that some things would have.

The bat clattering to the floor announced that it was over and Regina forced her eyes open - she couldn't be seen as weak, she couldn't _be_ weak.

"Graham, I want you to take our _friend_ Leroy here to the Emergency room, I believe he got mugged on his way home."

And with that last comment the blonde moved back towards James, who now held out a black leather jacket as she slid out of her grey overcoat splattered in red and took off her grey felt fedora, unpinning her blonde locks so that they curled around her shoulders, handing the fedora to him in exchange for a black newsboy cap.

 _Graham,_ Regina thought, as the man moved from behind her without a word towards Leroy now moaning quietly against the ground, his body bloodied and bruised.

Once the door clicked shut behind them, the older woman made her way towards the handcrafted Parnian desk to the right side of the room, her fingers dancing across the glass adorning the top with a small smirk quirking at the corners of her mouth as she surveyed Regina underneath the rim of her hat. The brunette's gaze moved from the blonde to the table, accessing how and where to start.

"You always knew good taste when you saw it, Regina."

The younger woman rolled her eyes, unable to restrain herself.

"Good taste is a matter of opinion, Mal." She huffed, turning to look around the room once again, trying to gather her nerves.

 _You're a stone cold lawyer now, Regina, don't let her rattle you,_ The brunette tried to reassure herself.

Mal settled herself down on the brown leather chair with a lacquered wooden structure in the shape of two dragons’ bodies that form the chair’s base with their tails extending to the back. The black leather sleeves adorning the blonde's arms gracing against the heads of the dragons that are carved into the armrests. 

James handed Mal and Regina a glass of amber liquid before making himself scarce, setting up residence outside the wooden doors. The blonde's penetrating gaze stared right into Regina's dark intoxicating eyes as she took a sip of the heady liquid.

"I see." She said, before taking another sip, her gaze not wavering from the hazel abyss.

In an effort to squash her nerves Regina gazed back, if she had to bluff her way through this than so be it.

"Why are you here, Regina? Other than a different location nothing has changed. The minute you stepped foot out of the circle, you swore you'd never return." Mal smirked, as though she could see straight through Regina.

_Could she?_

That look, that penetrating blue gaze sent shivers down Regina's spine and goose pimples along her arms and legs. But the brunette didn't dare to break the gaze, raising her chin defiantly as she lifted her drink up to her mouth and swallowing the rest in one gulp.

"I want back in."

A loud clatter brought both women's attention to the far side of the room, towards the window of another room - an office perhaps, a flash of red leather and blonde curls answered the question of who it was for Regina.

The double doors opened with a bang and James held up a gun as he ran into the room, Mal and Regina were still staring in the same direction, the blonde man took the initiative and continued to run straight for the connecting door to the office.

Mal turned back towards Regina and grabbed for her free hand, the vice like grip she now had around her wrist brought back pleasant and not so pleasant memories for the brunette and she schooled her features into a neutral expression.

“Who was that?” She asked, her electric blue eyes darkening to indigo as her gaze refused to waver.

If she broke character now not only would she be dead but Emma would be dead, those that she cared about would be dead and she’d never get justice for Kathryn.

Regina straightened her spine and swiped her tongue across her bottom lip, lipstick now starting to smudge at the corners from drinking. Forcing herself to calm down, her heart rate to not increase.

“How should I know?” She responded snarkily, her tone annoyed.

She hoped her act would play off. She couldn’t let her emotions get the better of her, Mal had always been one of the best poker players that she’d ever witnessed. Regina shook her hand out of Mal’s grip with a disgusted snarl.

“How stupid would I be to come back and betray you in one day?” There was a hint of truth in that.

Mal raised an eyebrow, leaning back in her seat as she surveyed the younger woman.

“You would be very stupid.” She replied, raising her drink to her lips as James ran back in.

“Whoever it was got away but not before they dropped these.” 

He held up a pair of black-rimmed glasses and dropped them into Mal’s outstretched hand.

Regina could feel the two worlds colliding and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Darkness was coming and she didn’t know if she had enough light inside her to save herself, much less anyone else.

* * *

The sun wasn’t up yet and already Regina was dreading the day ahead. She had been tempted to call Emma and demand what she had been doing following her and why. But the brunette knew she’d have another opportunity to grill the blonde considering they were working on the same case.

The only perk? Emma hadn’t turned her in. 

Or at least, she didn’t think she had yet. Maybe she needed more evidence, maybe she didn’t see anything. Perhaps from the angle she had been looking into the room she had only been able to see Mal…

Brunette locks flicked against her face as she shook her head, she wasn’t delusional enough to believe that a _detective_ hadn’t put the pieces together from what she saw.

A loud beeping signalled to Regina that it was time to start the day, sitting up the brunette reached for her phone on the side table and swiped the alarm to stop it’s incessant and unnecessary racket.

The next few hours went by quickly, multiple coffees made from her espresso machine and perused through countless documents to prepare for the day, taking notes and tagging sticky notes in areas she needed to reflect back on.

The sun had started rising, the view of the city through the wide glass windows in her living room becoming more prepossessing with every passing second.

Regina’s phone began buzzing on the coffee table, bringing her attention away from the mountain of papers stacked on her glass coffee table. The caller ID blinking up at her vehemently and she signed, reaching out and answering the phone, knowing that every minute that passed that she ignored the incessant ringing would be worse for her in the end.

“Hello mother,” She sighed, removing her glasses and pressing her fingers against the bridge of her nose to alleviate an oncoming headache.

“Don’t sound too excited, Regina.” Her mother's dry tone replied through the line.

“What do you want, mother?” Regina replied, not up for her mother’s games this early in the morning.

The woman on the other end of the line clicked her tongue in disapproval but didn’t say anything about her tone.

“Detective Swan is waiting in your office, she’s been here for about half an hour. Do you think you’ll be gracing us with your presence today?” The sarcasm in her mother’s tone was thick and... _did she say Emma was in her office?_

“Who let her in my office?!” Regina snapped, annoyed, tapering back on her fear from showing.

“Zelena told her that she could wait in your office because usually you are in by now, Regina.” Her mother’s tone accusatory.

Couldn’t she ever get a break?

“I had a long day yesterday, give me a break.” She doesn’t know why she’s bothering to argue her point, it never boded well.

“We all have long days.” She replied, unimpressed.

_There it is._

“Just get in here. Now.”

A resounding click signalled the end of the conversation. And the call.

“Good morning to you too, mother.” Regina muttered to the disconnected tone.

* * *

Sliding up the side zipper of her high waisted black leather pencil skirt and tucking in her v-neck long sleeved red silk blouse, Regina observed herself in her full-length mirror one last time before making her way out of her apartment and straight to the car waiting with the engine running by the curb.

On the way to work, Regina busied herself by scrolling through her emails and sending a semi-contumelious email to her sister. That infuriating woman. She walked around like she owned the place. Which she sort-of did, which infuriated Regina even more.

She was still fuming when she set foot in the elevator, everyone avoiding her like she had the plague. The Evil Queen was on a mission and she wasn’t taking any prisoners today.

Stepping foot on the floor, the first person to greet Regina was Hades, who had been waiting for the elevator.

“Good morning, Regina.” He greeted, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

There always was a troublesome glint in his eye.

“Is it, Hades?” She answered, not in the mood for pleasantries as she kept walking.

He shook his head with a simper before jovially stepping into the elevator and heading up to his own office.

Once the brunette reached her office she barged through without warning, causing the blonde to jump nearly ten feet in the air and curse a barrage of expletives.

Only once she had set down her bag and files down on the table did Emma register who had entered the office.

“You do know I have a gun, right?” Emma said, scathingly, clutching her chest.

“I should hope so. You’re a police officer.” Regina quipped.

“Detective.” Emma corrected, taking a seat opposite the brunette.

Regina waved her hand at nothing in particular.

“Whatever you say.”

Emma raised an eyebrow, observing Regina. The woman certainly seemed much more on edge today, she was tapping a pen against her desk and fidgeting more than she had been last time.

And certainly more irritable. Though, Regina seemed to be the kind of person to be irritated quite easily.

The blonde’s gaze moved from the tight grasp on the pen to her posture, down from her taut shoulders to the v-neck slit in her ruby red blouse that her black lace bralette was starting to peek out from.

Clearing her throat, Emma’s eyes flicked back up to the brunette’s fiery gaze that hadn’t budged. She met the dark eyes for a moment before they flickered back down to the paperwork, the older woman’s hands starting to sort through the files.

“Are you ready to get started?” Regina asked, though it wasn’t a question.

“Sure.” Emma replied, holding her hand out as Regina leaned over the table to pass a file to her.

The two women worked in almost complete silence until lunch time, only touching base with each other occasionally. It wasn’t that Emma didn’t enjoy working in silence, it got the work done, but Regina was different to the last time they had worked together. Quieter. Less confrontational. She was even listening to Emma’s ideas.

It was like they’d ended up in the twilight zone and Emma was almost at breaking point.

Regina thought that maybe if she just ignored the situation that it would just go away. Maybe she’d imagined what she’d seen last night. Her emotions were heightened and maybe her imagination had run wild…

A buzz sounded as Regina’s phone vibrated against her office table and she immediately snatched it up to answer it without looking at the caller ID, thankful for a different kind of distraction, any distraction.

“Hello, Regina Mills speaking.” She answered, briskly.

“Hello Regina Mills, it’s your sister, Zelena Mills speaking.”

Regina rolled her eyes, this wasn’t the kind of distraction she was asking the universe for. Nonetheless the universe answered her anyway, not caring for the damage it would cause in its wake.

“Yes, what do you want?” She asked, annoyed at her sister already for her meddling this morning.

“When are you planning on taking that blonde for a romp in your office because there is a pool in the office going at the moment and I’ll split the winnings with you-”

“Zelena!” Regina snapped, blushing crimson, “That is ridiculous! I thought mother dropped you on your arm not on your head when you were a baby!”

Emma looked up, her eyes widening and an unintentional laugh escaping her rosy pink lips.

Regina turned to look at the younger woman, momentarily distracted by the blonde’s laughter and watching dimples appear in her cheeks, hypnotising the brunette. Her sister rambling in her ear falling to background noise.

The office door swung open and a loud laugh sounded through her office, causing Regina to nearly stumble over in her heels.

“I knew it! Look at you, Regina!” Zelena’s head poked through the door, grinning wickedly, “I’ll come over later. We have much to discuss.”

And with that Regina’s office door slammed shut, leaving Regina in a stunned silence and Emma looking around confused.

“You have an odd relationship with your sister.” Emma said, readjusting her jacket and reaching for a file to flick through.

“Yeah,” Regina’s brow wrinkled but a small smile flickered up at the corner of her mouth, “I do.”

The two women went back to reading through their respective pile of files, though the air seemed a little lighter since Zelena had turned up and Regina didn’t know whether to feel grateful or annoyed. Perhaps a combination of the two.

Though one thing was for sure, Regina wasn’t looking forward to talking with her sister about whether or not she was interested in a particular blonde. She also had to find out why Emma was following her in the first place, or what she had been doing at The Golden Dragon last night and what she knew; what she saw.

“Detective?” She asked.

“Hmm?” The blonde replied.

“Do you want to go get a drink?” Regina asked, closing the last file she had open with finality.

Emma turned and looked at the clock adorning the wall with a furrowed brow.

“It’s lunch time.” She said.

“Yes, it is.” Regina replied, standing and reaching for her purse.

Emma didn’t reply, she just followed suit and closed the file she had opened as well. The older woman smiled slightly as Emma moved to follow her and they both left the office together, Regina ignoring her sister making vulgar gestures with her hands as they exited into the elevator and left the building.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N  
> Hi everyone,  
> Sorry about the late update. I have developed a chronic condition that makes it hard for me to concentrate or do pretty much anything. I finished this chapter this morning at around 5.15 am.
> 
> Enjoy x

Early hours of Wednesday morning

Everything felt fuzzy, out of place, not quite right. There was a metallic taste in her mouth and her eyes were heavy. She felt like she'd drank cyanide; her throat burning and raw. 

Regina could sense someone around her and she tried to move, a groan spilling from dark red lips in a barely recognisable noise when she realised she couldn’t in fact move at all.

The brunette heard hushed tones swirling around her and she couldn’t place the voices. After the noise she made one of the voices got louder and louder, panic and worry cracking in their voice attempting to be covered by anger and authority.

But Regina just...she couldn’t place the voice. Her head was swimming and every time she swallowed it was like she had eaten glass and the shards had gotten stuck in the ridges of her windpipe.

She knew she should have more questions, such as: Where am I?...What is going on?

But the brunette was so tired. All she wanted to do was rest, escape from the pain and confusion filling her system and threatening to overload.

Yes, she would rest now, Regina decided. 

And so she did. Giving in to the abyss of darkness that was already consuming her mind and now her body.

* * *

“She’s got a GSW to the chest upper left quadrant. Direct pressure has been applied in an attempt to control the bleeding.”

The brunette started to convulse, her body shaking against the canvas as Emma looked on in horror.

“The patient is losing too much blood! She’s seizing! Presenting signs of hypotension and bradycardia.”

A deafening beeping started to fill the room and the blonde couldn’t hear anything else other than that haunting tone.

“She’s gone into cardiac arrest! Push 1 mg of Epi. Let’s move people!” A loud voice rang out and Emma was shoved aside.

Men and women in scrubs rushed around the stretcher and the blonde stood in the corner she’d been shoved into with tears in her eyes.

_ How could things go so wrong? _

Emma didn’t even try to fight the tears that were now spilling down her cheeks, mascara smudging at the corners of her eyes and sliding down her pale, gaunt skin.

A hand touched her shoulder and the younger woman was so numb she didn’t even jump from the surprise of it.

“We should get you cleaned up.” The voice was soft, kind, reassuring.

“I’m fine.” Emma croaked.

_ Liar _ .

The blonde woman’s shirt was coated in blood and so was her arms. She was nowhere near fine but right now she didn’t care about the blood caked across her blue dress shirt, all she cared about was Regina and that she survived this.

“Defib. 120 joules!”

Everything seemed so surreal. How was this happening? How did they end up here?

Emma closed her eyes as the defibrillator shocked the brunette and her body thrust upwards from the shock.

Nothing.

“Push 2 of epi. Let’s go, 200 joules! Hands up.”

Then, finally, finally after what seemed to be a life-time…

“We have a heartbeat.”

The blonde just about keeled over at those words, her shirt sticking to her body from sweat as well as blood when she leaned against the wall.

“Can we take a look at your injuries now, Detective?”

Emma’s ardent green eyes met the kind blue of the ER Resident and she swallowed harshly, eyes darting to Regina on the stretcher.

The blonde woman gave her a gentle smile and pressed a hand to the young woman’s shoulder.

“They will look after her. Follow me.”

* * *

Yesterday

They had arrived at The Mad Ha’ous an hour later due to being stuck in lunch-hour congested traffic. Being stuck in a car next to the blonde for that long? It just about killed Regina.

Emma took out her phone as soon as they’d reached the curb out the front of the law firm. The older woman was walking in pace with Emma but when she stopped the brunette looked at her with a furrowed brow.

“What are you doing?” Regina asked.

Emma looked at her confused for a moment before raising the hand with her phone clutched in it as though that answered the question before clearing her throat when Regina just continued to stare at her, eyebrow raising further.

“Uh...calling an Uber?”

Regina’s lips twitched,  _ That’s adorable _ , the brunette thought.

Motioning over her shoulder where a black Mercedes-Benz was lying in wait. It took everything in Emma to not let her jaw drop and she just nodded stiffly, suddenly overwhelmed that she was way in over her head.

The driver gave Regina a nod and a courteous “Good Afternoon, Miss Mills.” before opening the back door so that the brunette could slide onto the leather seats comfortably. When he went to open the other door for Emma she waved him away as though shooing a fly but gave him a friendly smile nonetheless.

“I got it, thanks anyway.”

Regina hadn’t expected it to be awkward. Why hadn’t she expected that? She had been so focused on going to get a drink she’d neglected to remember that they would have to be in each others company during the trip there.

Not that being around Emma was that bad. She said ridiculous things, things that made Regina laugh. She sat so close to Regina that she could smell the vanilla and cinnamon scent of her shampoo, the loose tendrils of her hair tickling the brunette’s shoulder from such a close proximity. Her lips, cherry red and plump, what Regina wouldn’t do to…

_ Stop it _ , Regina chided herself.  _ This is business. I need to find out what she knows. _

The older woman’s cheeks were getting steadily more and more flushed as the minutes ticked by because she could feel the heat of Emma’s body emanating from her thigh mere centimetres from her own.

The slit in Regina’s black high-waisted leather skirt was more pronounced with her legs crossed and the blonde could just make out black lace strapped across a tanned thigh.  _ Holy shit _ , The blonde thought, nearly choking on her own saliva.

Green eyes lingered there for a moment, a moment that was too long because as soon as she looked up her dark green eyes met swirling chocolate brown. And with the corner of her mouth tugging upwards Emma knew she’d been caught.

When they had arrived a young woman with ash-blonde hair led them to a corner booth almost immediately. It was quite busy tonight and the joint was packed with so many people from different walks of life. Emma was surprised to say the least that Regina would want to go somewhere with so many people to unwind.

“My name is Aurora and I’ll be your server for the evening. The usual?” Her bright eyes were looking only at Regina and Emma found that intriguing.

So, she was a regular.

The brunette nodded, “That will be perfect and if you could keep them coming that would be great.”

Aurora turned to walk away and Emma raised a hand to get her attention as the young woman started to walk towards the bar, but instead settled on calling out after her as she made no move to serve her.

“I’ll have a beer, thanks!”

The girl froze for a minute before turning around and pasting on a winning hostess’ smile.

“Of course. Your drinks will be brought to you shortly.”

Emma chuckled before turning back to face Regina, who was sitting there watching her with a calculating gaze. Dark brown orbs trailing over the blonde’s face as though she were an enigma wrapped in a paradox and shrouded in a conundrum.

Emma had never met another human being that was so hard to read. Spending years in foster homes it was a vital skill she’d developed, to be able to read someone. Working together Emma had started to treasure the little moments. 

The lunch they had together, the look Regina gave her when she had squeezed her shoulder, the little smirk at the corner of her mouth, the crimson blush spreading across her cheeks and down her neck when she was on the phone…

The blonde knew she was absolutely screwed.

Metal candle lanterns adorned the tables in the booths that lined along the walls; bathing the room in a warm glow and Emma watched shadows dancing against the canvas of Regina’s pale skin. 

The older woman cleared her throat and adjusted her posture into a more comfortable position, her back pressing against the leather. Emma felt a heel graze the back of her leg and she froze. 

_ Was that an accident?  _ Emma wondered.

Over the next two hours Regina and Emma engaged in small talk and a few drinks not having much in common other than the case. Emma had ordered them a bowl of onion rings and chicken nibbles to share, despite Regina casting a disgusted look her way when she’d ordered them, the older woman began grazing bits and pieces almost as soon as she’d arrived. 

Emma rubbed her hands against her jeans to wipe off the grease before reaching for her third beer.

Regina’s nose creased as she observed Emma’s actions and the blonde hastily grabbed for a serviette off the table as she spoke.

“So, how did you end up with this case? You’re a corporate lawyer, right? So it’s weird that you have taken this case.” Emma asked.

She had to know more. The woman was a closed book during all of their interactions except for the rare moment when she’d do or say something that wasn’t completely work related or derogatory - now was her opportunity.

_ Of course she is going to ask these questions now. _

Regina froze as though Emma had called her a slew of profanities and the brunette thought about telling the blonde to mind her own business and in fact, as she moved her gaze up to meet those viridescent eyes intending to do just that…

They met her fiery brown and she hesitated, suddenly overwhelmed by the emotion swirling in those bright green depths.

It had been a long time since someone had stared at her like that. Piercing. Hungrily. And not just for her body but for her mind, her story. The brunette suddenly found it a little harder to breathe and inhaled a little deeper as she tried to calm her frying mind.

But does she want that? For someone to want to know her so completely? Someone that could tear her whole world apart from knowing the truth about her?

“I-” Regina hesitated before reaching for her glass of red wine and taking a long gulp.

“Yes,” The brunette relented, bringing her glass down with a clatter against the cherry oak wood.

“I am a corporate lawyer at Hades & Mills,” Regina paused, her fingers wrapped around the glass starting to whiten from the pressure she gripped around it.

“I used to work as a prosecutor for the State and that was when I met Kathryn.” The brunette continued, a small smile appearing at the corner of her mouth as she recounted her history, “I was a firehouse.”

Emma chuckled, “I bet you were.”

Dark brown zoned in on ardent green and the brunette felt her heart stutter in her chest.

_ Don’t get emotional,  _ Regina reminded herself.

“She was a force to be reckoned with, Kathryn, a journalist for the Boston Chronicle making her way up the ranks. She had exposed some of Boston’s “Greats” and their dirtiest secrets to the public and put a lot of deserving people behind bars…”

Emma’s quieted as Regina continued to talk, her fingers now toying with a new serviette and fraying the edges with little tears. The older woman didn’t know what it was but something about Emma made her feel like she could just tell her everything, anything.

But she couldn’t.

Could she?

The younger woman was a detective after all and it was her job to get to the bottom of this and bring in the people responsible. Could she be held responsible? Was it partly her fault?

Regina started to blink faster in the hopes of stopping tears from forming in her eyes, but it was pointless as a lone tear trailed down her cheek. She set the wine glass on the table once again and tried to subtly wipe at her cheek.

“But what a lot of people don’t know is that she is-  _ was _ immeasurably kind. She took me in when my girlfriend died, Daniella...” Regina cleared her throat, suddenly feeling as though something was lodged in her trachea.

_ Wait, girlfriend?!  _ Emma’s eyes widened without her consent and she was glad that Regina had taken that moment to look down.

The mere idea that Regina has had a girlfriend sent tingles spiralling down the blonde’s spine, she almost felt like she was suddenly on edge. Waiting...but for what?

Reaching for her handbag, the brunette started to rifle through its contents as Emma took that moment to take a few swigs of her beer. This conversation had taken a turn she hadn’t expected.

Regina didn’t know why she was telling Emma this or why she was sharing parts of her life with the blonde, all she knew was that she felt safe with her and she always trusted her instincts. They haven't been wrong so far.

She pulled out her wallet and opened it before holding it out for Emma to take. When she did, their fingers brushed gently and Emma cursed herself silently as her pussy clenched tightly from the barest touch.

She was touch starved, she knew that. But the sudden reminder really wasn’t necessary.

Emma counted her lucky stars that she had swallowed her mouthful of beer because when she looked at the photo she would have most definitely spat all of its contents on the older woman sitting opposite her.

“I was pregnant when she took me in. This is Henry, my son.”

The blonde’s mouth opened and closed like a freshly caught fish out of water for a few seconds before she looked back down at the photo for the fifth time and then back up at Regina again.

“Where-” Emma started.

“Is he?” Regina finished the question for her, which caused the younger woman to raise her eyebrow and a smirk to spread across her lips.

_ God that’s so hot. It’s like she can read my mind,  _ Emma thought. 

Then the blonde’s cheeks went bright red at the thought that Regina could read her mind.

_ Don’t be ridiculous _ .

“He’s away at an inter-school writing camp, he’s got a really vast imagination so I try to give him every opportunity to expand his horizons. He’ll be back tomorrow.” Regina smiled fondly at the picture as Emma handed her back the wallet.

As soon as Emma handed the wallet back over to Regina, the brunette reached for her glass of red and gracefully swallowed the rest of its contents before standing up.

Emma, confused, reached for a handful of onion rings and shoved them in her mouth as she stood up as well. Regina raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow as the blonde scrambled to grab her phone and jacket and finish the contents in her mouth. The brunette could barely stifle the laugh bubbling up from inside.

“I’m just going to the powder room, I’ll be back.” 

_ Powder room? She means the bathroom, right? Who even calls it that? _

In a way Emma liked it, probably because the brunette had used the phrase. It suited her.

To mystify the blonde further, Regina gave her a wink and with a twist of her hips was heading off towards the back of the bar.

Walking along the dimly lit hallway Regina smiled at one of her favourite bartenders, Ruby, as she passed the brunette in the hall; a tray full of drinks held in one hand and a food platter in the other. Everyone knew she was the clumsiest girl in the streets but a vixen in the sheets. Ruby blew her an air kiss before disappearing around the corner and Regina found her way to the bathroom.

The older woman breathed a sigh of relief when there was no one else in the bathroom with her. Finally, she could gather her thoughts with some silence and solitude. Walking over to the large Venetian mirror, the brunette fixed the smudged mascara that had smeared across her cheek and touched up her make-up.

Turning on her heel and making her way into one of the cubicles, Regina had just shut the door when the door to the bathroom swung open and collided with the copper interior wall.

**_“No! Answer me. What are you doing here?!” The voice was high, almost a squeak._ **

Wait, she thinks she knows that voice.

Reaching her hand out to push open the door the brunette stopped when she heard a second hushed voice on the other side of the door start to talk. Regina leaned closer to the door for a moment before shaking her head and looking down at her hands, this wasn’t any of her business.

**_“Business. Something you should understand.” The other person replied, sneering._ **

**_“You need to leave. She is off limits and you know it.” The squeak had left the voice and was replaced with a soft but firm tone._ **

Regina couldn’t help herself, she pressed her ear closer to the door. The second voice was familiar too but she couldn’t place it.

The other person laughed but there was no humour in his tone.

**_“Yeah, we’ll see. Have you seen the way she fawns over that blonde? I’m not even a blip on her radar.”_ **

Regina leaned to the side slightly to peer through the crack in between the door and the wall of the toilet. She managed to just catch the gasp falling out of her mouth and stifle it as dark brown eyes landed on a tall blonde man she most definitely recognised. She could feel her heart starting to thud more and more erratically.

_ James. _

He definitely was the owner of the second voice.

James gave the other person a smug grin before making his way back out of the women’s bathroom. Regina heard the tap start to run and footsteps towards the door, after hearing it open and shut once again, the brunette pressed her fingers to the bridge of her nose in an effort to alleviate the headache suddenly coming on.

Unlocking the door, Regina completely forgot about her need to empty her bladder and came face to face with Mary Margaret.

Suddenly the owner of the first voice clicked in her head.

She hadn’t left the bathroom at all - she knew Regina had been there but did she know the whole time?

“Hello, Regina.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Take note; rating changed from Mature to Explicit in preparation for next chapter.


End file.
